Sunday, 31 August 2014

Hello all and I hope that you've had a good week - and a relaxing weekend? The usual busy one here - but I've not been too well with a nasty ear infection that caused swelling and loss of hearing in one ear! (And yes, I've had all the "Pardon?" and "'ere, 'ere" jokes in the last few days - that's what comes of having a husband and teenage son with a certain lack of sympathy!) So now on antibiotics and it's gradually easing thank goodness. So apologies for a bit of an absence but sleepless nights and feeling woozy is not the right sort of mood to be in to do much crafting! But I've got a card to share with you that I made a little while ago for a friend who wanted a card for her son's 18th - he loves his computer and gaming, and is also wanting to study languages and Japanese at Uni - so I was asked if I could add any of those details in!

Thankfully a brilliant Mo Manning digi stamp came to the rescue - yet again! I've coloured this with copics and promarkers

The backing papers are from HunkyDory and EKSuccess, with the lettering die cut with All Occasions dies. The sentiment ('Happy Birthday' in Japanese!) was done on the computer! (Thank heavens for Google lol!)

And I hope you'll forgive me for sharing a lovely bit of news that we received this week - my beautiful step-daughter Lucy and her partner Jon got engaged a few days ago whilst on holiday in Croatia! Her dad and I are thrilled for them - they make such a lovely couple!

Nice to have happy news to share!

And thank you for all your lovely comments on my crafty makes - they mean so much and definitely help keep me inspired to carry on crafting!

Monday, 25 August 2014

Hello all and I hope that you're enjoying a relaxing Bank Holiday - for those in the UK anyway! We've had a couple of sunny days but sadly a bit overcast today - but I've got the task in front of me of trying to sort all my crafty stash into it's new home! How do we end up with so much stuff....? I admit that I'm a craft addict and I've been doing all sorts of crafts for as long as I can remember, and it's amazing how a 'collection' builds up! But my lovely hubby has put a couple of shelves up in what is now our spare little bedroom (aka 'my craft room' lol!) and so I can now start sorting and organising. Or at least that's the plan - I could easily get distracted as I find new (i.e. re-discovered) bits and pieces to play with! And I suppose the real joy is that I can always close the door on my crafty mess when I need to go and do something else - and it's not creating an eyesore in the lounge lol. I'll post a little pic on when I get it into some sort of order!

Anyway, just sharing a card that was made to order for someone's mum

I've used a stamp from LittleClaire's and coloured with copics

The backing papers are from LOTV with some added stitching. The flower dies and birdhouse are from Marianne and the leaf die is one of my favourites (and much used!) - meadow leaf from Poppystamps. I've used a Tonic border punch and ribbon in the background. The sentiment is from LOTV and the lettering is using All Occasions alphabet dies.

Hope you like it.

And I hope you enjoy what remains of your long weekend. I'm back at work for a few days this week - and then preparing for the start back to school! Back to early morning starts - yuck!

Wednesday, 20 August 2014

Hello all - and apologies for being AWOL for over a week! How did that pass so quickly? Well, we safely transported daughter and all her belongings to her new flat in Lewes, just outside Brighton (and a very tiring 300+ miles away from here! She couldn't get any further south without dropping off the end of the UK mainland could she? lol!). We are adjusting to a household that is one short - just as I imagine she is adjusting to living away from home with her boyfriend! But we had a lovely few days with them - and her boyfriend's mum had travelled down there too (she lives even further north than us!). We all helped them get settled, built the flat-packed furniture (always a challenge!) and got all the rest of it moved in. It's a beautiful part of the country and Lewes is such a pretty little market town, full of quirky buildings, antique shops and surrounded by gorgeous countryside. We stayed for 3 nights at a delightful B&B and enjoyed exploring the area - when we weren't on 'flat' duty! We even managed an afternoon in a very busy Brighton and walked miles - and to the end of the pier (which my husband was determined to do lol!). It was almost like stepping back in time to the seaside resorts of the 50's and 60's - all ice creams, fish & chips and candy floss, fairground rides and fruit machines! Although we did draw the line at husband buying a 'Kiss Me Quick' hat..... Anyway, after a bit of a tearful parting and a very long drive home (definitely not a fan of the M25 lol!), we are now adapting to only having one child at home - although he has now taken up ownership of what was his sister's bedroom as it is much bigger than his! But I must admit the extra space will be nice - and I can install all my crafty stuff into the small bedroom (and my husband says he can now have his lounge back - cheek!).

Oh dear. I've waffled on again haven't I? Sorry!

Anyway, unless you were confused or alarmed by the blog title - no, we're not expecting a new arrival! I was asked to make a baby card for a couple who have had a long-awaited baby boy, Jack, who arrived in the world with a head full of red hair just like his dad! This is what is so nice about making personalised cards for people - you can add those details that you just wouldn't be able to find in a shop-bought one! So I used a gorgeous Mo Manning digi stamp - and gave him red hair!

The image has been coloured with copics, promarkers and pencils

The backing papers are from LOTV, with some added stitching. The lettering die cuts are from All Occasion dies and the cute little onesie is from Cottage Cutz, with some added buttons from stash.

And the inside decorated to match

Hope you like it.

Thank you for all your lovely comments, and now I'm back I'll make my way around Blogland and catch up with what crafty goodies everyone has been making!

Monday, 11 August 2014

Hello all - it's Monday again! Where did the weekend go? It's strange how it always seems to pass more quickly than the midweek days - or is that just me? We've got a house full of bags and boxes and it's verging on the chaotic as my daughter gets everything packed and ready for moving south later this week. There's not only all of her belongings, but also some bits and pieces and items of furniture that we've either bought or been given that are all being taken down to help them set up their new flat! It looks like the storage room for a second-hand shop in our hall, lounge and conservatory! Sigh. But although I won't miss the mess, I will miss my daughter when she's gone. But we're looking forward to seeing her new home and helping her get sorted. But as a parent, it's all about treading that fine line between helping and supporting - but not interfering! Lol!

Anyway, less waffling! Just wanted to share a card I'd made for a friend, who asked if I could make a card for her husband's birthday. I love the expressions on Gus's face (from Bugaboo) so used this digi (as I know her husband does a fair bit of DIY)

I'm afraid to say that this is very familiar in our house too.... We either can't find a torch, or when we do the batteries will be dead!

I've coloured Gus with copics and I did add some glossy accents to his specs but it sadly doesn't show on the pics. The backing paper is from First Edition, with some added stitching, and the felt and twine is from K&Co. The sentiment stamp is from LOTV - and the 'flashlight' sentiment comes with the digi stamp!

Hope you like it.

Thank you for all your lovely comments on my crochet cushion - and on Grumpy Poppy the cat!

Wednesday, 6 August 2014

A warm summer's afternoon here and a relaxing day for once! We seem to have had so many busy days lately, and with quite a few more to come, that it was nice to have a 'pottering about at home' day. My other half left this morning for France for a few days with work, so the offspring and I have generally mooched about at home. We're gradually getting things sorted and packed for my daughter's move to Sussex; we're taking her down there next week and staying a couple of days to help her and her boyfriend settle in to their new flat. She's naturally excited about moving and setting up a new home, and keen to start her teacher training - but also a little apprehensive about this next big step in life. And I'm bracing myself for her leaving! We spend a lot of time together and have a lovely close mother-daughter relationship, and I consider myself SO lucky to have that. So it's going to be something of a wrench when she's moved and we only see one another every few months. I'm thrilled that she's got such a promising future ahead - and a nice partner to share it with! - but I'm going to miss her so much. I'm lucky that I've still got my baby boy(!) at home, all 6' teenage attitude of him, but there'll definitely be a 'hole' in the house. So I'm sorting out all my craft stuff and planning lots of projects to keep me busy!

Just wanted to share the latest crafty project with you - a lovely hooky, squishy cushion!

This was such a lovely project (I sort of 'adapted' a pattern), and I'm loving the colours! The wool pack I got for the bag that I showed on here recently (you can see it here) had enough wool left to make a cushion - and I love it! I added some chunky wooden buttons and was really pleased with the result.

The stitch pattern is called a 'leaping stitch' and it took me a few attempts to get it right, but being childish and pig-headed, I was determined not to be beaten by a crochet stitch!

So I found a great tutorial on YouTube and then realised it was easypeasy! And I think it cheers up our tired old chair.

And I was preparing to take a pic I was 'photobombed' by Grumpy Poppy the cat (looking her usual happy self lol!)

I can feel a plan for a few more chunky, squishy cushions to find their way onto our chairs and sofas! That should keep me busy over the 'empty nest' period!

Apologies for both the waffle and the photo overload!

Thanks for looking - and thank you for all the lovely comments you leave, they really mean a lot!

Sunday, 3 August 2014

Hello all and I hope that you are enjoying your weekend? Sadly the weather here today is not what you'd call summery - grey clouds and occasional showers! So the plan of attacking the somewhat overgrown garden will have to be put to one side for now - I might have to do some crafting and baking instead! What a shame - NOT! Lol.

This card is one I made for a colleague that I share an office with at work - we always tease her about being a grump! Thankfully though, she has a great sense of humour and when I saw this image at Bugaboo it just seemed to fit the bill for her birthday and I'm pleased to say that she loved it too!

I've used the fabulous 'Margaret' from Bugaboo - don't you just love that expression! Says it all really!

I've coloured the image with copics

The backing paper is from Hunkydory and the flower is using a Spellbinders blooms die, with a pearly centre from WOC. Quite a simple layout but I wanted the image to take 'centre stage'.

Hope you like it!

And I hope you enjoy what remains of your weekend - and that the weather is a bit brighter where you are!

Friday, 1 August 2014

Hello all and I hope that you've had a good week? I feel as though my holiday was months ago lol - once you get back into the usual routines of home it's amazing how fast the 'lazy days' of holiday disappear. But it's nice to still be off work, and at least I've got chance to catch up with things - and friends! We're busy at home now helping my daughter prepare for moving - and trying to organise some accommodation for when we take her south! I should have realised that the Glyndebourne festival was in full swing (is that an appropriate phrase for opera....?) and so most places are booked up! I must have spent hours yesterday trying to find some reasonably priced B&B accommodation for us near Lewes where she's moving to! It would have been fine if we could spend an extortionate amount - funnily enough there seemed to be plenty of vacancies if we were prepared to pay £800-£1000 for 3 of us for 3 nights accommodation! I don't think so! Hey ho. Anyway, after many phone calls, etc., I did finally manage to track some down - now just got to keep my fingers crossed that it's ok lol!

Anyway, apologies for the waffle and the rant! Just wanted to share a little birthday card with you, trying out a different colour!

I wasn't too sure about the teal/aqua colour, but I think it works ok. I've coloured the LOTV stamp with promarkers and copics, with a little added pencil

The backing paper is from Hunkydory and I've embossed a panel with a 'Happy Birthday' folder from Cuttlebug. I've used the heart banner from LaLaLand and a Happy Birthday die cut from All Occasions dies. The ribbon is from stash, and as I didn't have any matching pearls, some white ones got the alcohol marker treatment!